can be no Church, where there is no Bishop; and confèquently no Sacraments.

I know this is much exclaimed against as a most uncharitable Opinion; but I would have all Perfons that fet up for fuch strict Charity confider, that their Objection is a moft notorious Reflection on the primitive Church in general, whom they manifeftly condemn in compliment to Schifmaticks at home, and Churches irregularly reformed abroad; and let any judge how unjust, as well as uncharitable it is, to accuse thofs glorious Saints of the first and pureft Ages, of a damnable Sin, in favour of Men, whom they cannot, with all their Charity, but own, to be far Inferior to thofe Holy Men, in true Love, and all manner of christian Graces.

BUT if we enter into the Merits of the Cause, we fhall find fo little Reafon for condemning of Uncharitableness, this Doctrine of the Invalidity of Lay-Baptifm, that I am perfuaded, the afferting of it is an Act of the highest Charity to the Souls of Men; and it gives me a fecret Satisfaction for the Part I have had, thro' God's Grace, in convincing fome Perfons of this Truth, and now laying out my Endeavours for your Service and Instruction..

THE

THE Church of England does not say, that Baptifm is abfolutely, but generally neceffary to Salvation; fo that where it is not to be had at all, or cannot be obtained in the regular Manner, God forbid we should limit his infinite Mercies, or unchristianize any that profefs their Faith in CHRIST; tho' ftill there will remain a great Hazard, and no Man will pretend to fay, that fuch doubtful Baptism is as Valid and Effectual, as that, which is administer'd in a lawful and unqueftioned Form..

AND whereas our Church can fo clearly prove her Divine Authority, and even Diffenters themselves do not difpute the Validity of her Baptifm; it would at least be their wifest Course to chufe the fecureft Way in a Matter of fo great Confequence; and not expofe themselves and Children to fo dreadful a Hazard, as cannot be certainly known, till too late to be avoided. Is it not therefore the trueft Charity and Love of Souls, to warn Men, in Time, of their Danger, and call them back from the Brink of a Precipice? I dare fay, were all our Divines Unanimous, in condemning the pretended Baptism of Diffenters, it would be the most effectual Way of bringing them to the Church, and making them

them renounce their Schism; and What greater Charity can be fhewn them than this?

BUT as to thofe Perfons, who, having been born of Diffenting Parents, did receive Baptifm from a Nonconforming Minifter; but when they come to Years of Discretion do (as all wife Men ought) confider the Grounds of their Religion, and examine into the Truth of thofe Principles they have been educated in, and are thereby convinced of their Error, forfake their Schifm, and join themselves to the Communion of the Church of England, methinks they are under a double Obligation of receiving Lawful Baptism from the Hands of her Minifters, being required thereto, not only by the ftanding Rule of CHRIST, and his Church in general, as I have been endeavouring to prove; but also by a plain Injunction of this Church in particular, whofe Orders they are more immediately to regard and submit to, especially in a Matter of fo great Confequence: Nay, were this of Baptifm only a Point of mere Difcipline, fince the Church allows none to exercise it but her own Lawful Minifters, we have our Lord's Command and Example, for paying a Dutiful Obedience to all the Laws of the Church we live in, which he there calls Ful

i Mật. iii. 15.

filling

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filling all Righteousness. And to convince you, that our Holy Mother admits of no other Way of entring into her Communion, but by Baptifm, and that fhe has excluded all Perfons whatfoever from adminiftring this Sacrament but her own Clergy, and fuch as are Epifcopally Ordain'd, I will here fet down one of her Articles at Length, which, I think, plainly decides this Matter.

ARTICLE XXIII.

Of Miniftring in the Congregationi

IT is not Lawful for any Man to take upon him the Office of publick Preaching or Mi«niftring the Sacraments in the Congregation, « before he be lawfully called and sent, to execute << the fame; and those we ought to judge lawfully « called and fent, which be called and chofen by «Men, who have publick Authority given unto " them in the Congregation, to call and fend Mi"nisters into the Lord's Vineyard.

THE pious Bishop Beveridge has explained this Article fo very fully in the Sense, I produce it for, (namely, "that no Sacraments can be "Effectual, which are not adminiftred by Perfons duly authorized"), that I would tran

fcribe

fcribe his whole Expofition, were not my Letter already too long; but I must not omit to give you the Sentiments of fome of the Holy Fathers on this Subject, which fufficiently confirm the Truth of the Argument I undertook to defend, and prove at the fame time the Conformity between the primitive Church and ours.

S. Bafil faith, Laymen have no Power to "baptize or ordain; for that (faith St. Athanafius) "is the Office only of fuch as are over the Ca❝tholick Church; for it belongs to Them Only, "and to none Elfe, to give to drink of the «Blood of CHRIST.

S. Chryfoftom, in a Treatife written on pur pofe concerning Priesthood, has this remarkable Paffage. If none, fays he, can enter into the "Kingdom of Heaven, unless he be born again "of Water and the Spirit, and he that eateth « not, and drinketh not his Blood, is caft out of "eternal Life; and none of these Things can "be performed by any elfe but thofe Holy Hands, "I mean the Priests, how can any one, without "them, either fhun the Fire of Hell, or be "made Partakers of the Crowns, that are set « before us?"

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MANY